Getting Started: Why I Finally Gave Padel a Go
Today I played my first game of padel and I’m still buzzing from the experience some hours later. The crew at Best Padel Life have asked me to document my padel journey from the start so all the beginners out there can come along for the ride. So it seemed that while still basking in the afterglow of my first game it was the perfect time for my maiden post.
I’ve known of padel for a while courtesy of some European friends where it’s far more commonplace as a competitive sport and recreation activity. However, despite this, here in the US everyone I asked about it had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.
Recently, however, I noticed it beginning to slowly emerge into the mainstream. It was featured in a couple of episodes of the F1 documentary series Drive to Survive. There were also some famous names starting to become associated with it on social media like David Beckham and Stormzy. And on top of this I noticed articles were also beginning to appear in newspapers and magazines about this new sports craze that was on the rise.
Having been someone who has rarely been an early adopter of anything, I decided this was my chance so I signed up to a local beginner class.
First Impressions on Court
Before the session, I did read about padel and watch some videos, which helped me build a basic understanding of how the game worked and the main rules. However, none of what I read or watched prepared me for how much fun I’d have my first time playing padel.
When we started we split up into groups of four and played a series of doubles (2 against 2) matches. Almost everyone was either a first-timer like me or a very recent beginner so we were all around the same skill. I also found there was a great camaraderie between us all which I hadn’t expected. We all felt somewhat like pioneers trying out this “new” unique sport that we were discovering.
In this spirit, those who were slightly more experienced were happy to share their knowledge around some of the more complicated rules. They were also happy to profer some handy advice when it came to some of the more unique aspects of the gameplay. (For a complete and in-depth rundown of the rules of padel, check out “The Complete Guide to Padel Rules: Everything You Need to Know.”)
Walls, Bounces, and Drunk Ballerinas
Speaking of unique aspects of gameplay — neither reading nor watching videos of matches on YouTube could prepare me for the added dimension of playing within a walled court. Trying to judge where the ball would rebound off a wall had me turning in a complete circle like a drunk ballerina, getting nowhere near the ball, and falling in a heap on the ground for good measure.
However, despite some of my more ungainly efforts, I came away from the session thinking padel was a great sport for beginners with little or no previous racket sport experience.
Why Padel Is Perfect for Beginners
So why then is Padel perfect for beginners? The underarm serve is easy for a beginner, even at my skill level, to be able to execute reliably enough to play a game with. The walled court means that any shots your opponents hit with lots of power often rebound off the back or side walls and sit up easily for you to hit back at them. This also means that you don’t have to be super fast around the court — which is great if you’re a little older and slower than you used to be, like myself.
The walled court also often provides opportunities for some crazy shots to come off — whether you mean them or, like in my case, you don’t — which adds a really fun element to the game. It always seems like the momentum can switch at any time and some amazing, creative shot might help you get out of a tight spot in your rally. It’s also a lot of fun claiming some of these outlandish shots when they do come off.
The Social Side of Padel
I thoroughly enjoyed the social aspect of the game as well. The padel court seems to be just the right size to encourage friendly exchanges and banter over the net with your opponents which was a huge part of the fun for me.
While padel is just getting on its feet in the US and most other countries outside of Europe, there is a relatively small network of people playing. This creates a kind of social bond amongst participants that I found thoroughly welcoming and enjoyable.
Final Thoughts: You Should Try It Too
If you are brand new to the sport and, like me, until now have only been reading or watching videos about it — I urge you to give it a go. There are often beginner sessions, like the one I attended, where everyone is pretty new to the sport, which provide a great environment to try padel in.
If you haven’t already, check out our complete beginners guide to padel: “Padel – A Beginners Overview : Why You’ll Love It!”, it’s a great place to start to learn about this sport if you’ve just discovered it.
Stay tuned if you’re interested in more posts from me as I begin my padel journey — and why not come along for the ride by checking out and posting in the community forums (click here) or subscribing to receive Best Padel Life’s articles by email so you don’t miss any.
